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MAINTENANCE MATTERS
By Lou Frank
Are You Covered?
Make sure all your surfaces have the right coating considerations to ward off costly repairs.
In an airport, as in any commercial or municipal facility, coatings have an important job to do. Sure, they make
whatever substrate they're applied on –
typically concrete or steel – look good. But they do much more than that.
When properly specified and applied, coatings save your facility a great deal of money.
Corrosion and wear are a constant threat to the assets and infrastructure at any airport, from the jetways and hangars to the interior floors and even the building structure itself. Protecting these assets is important from a cost and longevity standpoint.
The right coatings can extend any asset's useful life by five, 10, even 20 years. That means equipment and infrastructure doesn't need to be replaced or repaired as often, resulting in savings that outpace the cost of the coatings themselves.
There are also liability concerns, as worn out or failing equipment and infrastructure can cause damage to other equipment and potentially injuries to people.
Coatings are crucial, but not all coatings are alike; understanding and specifying the right coatings is key. Different formulations are available to meet the specific needs of surfaces in the various areas in an airport. To help make sure you are covered, below is a summary of the coating system recommendations for the major areas found on an airport.
PUBLIC AREAS
In concourses, terminals and other areas used by the public, aesthetics is the top concern. Many airports have found concrete floors to be a viable, affordable alternative to terrazzo, which can cost several times that of a coated or polished concrete floor.
These floors endure a surprising amount of punishment. Dropped items, spills, broken luggage, moderate wheel traffic, and constant foot traffic can take their toll on any surface. Despite being indoors, these floors are also subject to ultraviolet damage from sunlight streaming in through large windows.
To get this kind of protection while ensuring the floors maintain their looks and are easy to clean, a very basic option is a lithium silicate densifier. This helps the polished surface last longer while also providing a glossy, high traction finish.
For a far more professional look, there are several epoxy/topcoat options with or without broadcast media that offer an aesthetically pleasing, refined look. Flake broadcast finishes offer endless design possibilities, with different combinations of flake sizes and colors.
For a more refined, subtle look, microtech flake broadcast finishes have small speckles that can mimic terrazzo and other high-end
24 airportbusiness May 2018